iPad seen hurting all low-end notebook sales

A pair of Apple patents for the iPad have surfaced in China that point to designs the company has at least considered for the iPad. One discovered by Patently Apple shows a second Dock Connector port on the left side in addition to the usual at the bottom. The design would presumably be to let the iPad dock in landscape mode and could also keep a peripheral such as the Camera Connector attached while the iPad is docked.

The second patent appears to show a stock iPad but suggests that the bottom-left corner would have some form of special feature. It's possible the reference is just to a cosmetic difference, but the conspicuous difference may also be for a feature that would use the corner, such as a touch-sensitive button. A second button would be unusual for Apple and unlikely given how much of the iOS metaphor works around having a single home button.

Both show a spot above the display, but this is thought to be the ambient light sensor and not necessarily a camera predicted for the second round of iPads.

Although Apple is believed to be wrapping up a new iPad for a release sometime in the next few months, neither of the patents necessarily translate to production designs. Patents are regularly used both to explore new ideas but also to prevent competitors from taking ideas that might be useful later.

By Electronista Staff

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patents, tablet, Apple, iPad